Hidden Value April 2000

Hidden Value details commands and procedures in MPE (and some in Vesoft’s MPEX) that can improve your productivity with HP 3000 systems. Get a free NewsWire HP 3000 Always Online cap — submit your MPE tip directly to us here at the NewsWire. Send your tips to editor@3000newswire.com, or fax them to 512.331.3807.

Edited by John Burke

I have a customer who says her password displays when she logs onto the console. She doesn’t see duplicate (as in local echo on) characters. What would make a password display on a console?

Tim Busche replies (and the original questioner confirmed the solution):
If “Line Modify” or “Modify All” is enabled (see the Modes function keys), the password will be displayed.

Is there any way to eliminate the “END OF PROGRAM” message when a program terminates normally?

Barry Lake, Doug Werth and Lee Gunter reply:
If you explicitly run the program, as in :run myprog.pub.myacct, then you will see “END OF PROGRAM” when the program terminates. However, if you execute the program implicitly, as in :myprog.pub.myacct or :xeq myprog.pub.myacct, then you won’t see “END OF PROGRAM.”
[Ed. note: Doug Werth noted that the above forms, while working in most cases, do not support alternate entry points.]

What is the official definition of what counts against the user limit for MPE licensing? We are replacing a system and deciding what user limit to buy.

Chris Bartram replies:
Check out an HTML version of the HP3000-L FAQ at www.3kassociates.com (look under publications). [Editor’s note: A searchable version is also available at qwebs.qss.com/faq3k.webdemo.html]

In using the MGET command in FTP, how do I stop it from asking me Y or N for each file?

Keven Miller, Peter Osborne and Heidi Hansen reply:
Use the prompt command, no parameters. It toggles interactive mode.

How can I use the DISKUSE command to see everything in one account only?

Ray Sparks replies:
Just do the following: DISKUSE /ACCOUNT/ [Editor’s note: Since this uses the HFS format, the account name must be all capital letters.]

We have a system with several internal drives. We want to replace the internal drives with new drives in an external enclosure. Does LEDV 1 need to be internal to the system?

Dave Knispal, Rich Holloway, Paul Courry, Andreas Schmidt and Larry Barnes all reply: You do not need any internal drives.

How do I run a program file that has a lockword on it in a batch job?

Gary Jackson, Larry Simonson, Shawn Gordon and Dave Knispel all jumped on this one:
RUN progname/lockword.groupname.accountname

Is there a command or utility that will give me definitions of every (or most) file code(s)?

Barry Lake, Ron Burnett, Paul Christidis and Timothy Hoefner reply:
HELP FILE FILECODES

Stan Sieler noted:
This only covers the HP-defined filecodes. For a full list, including vendor codes, try: FMTFCODE from
www.allegro.com/software/#FMTFCODE
Running the program and entering “TEST” will get a list of all currently known filecodes.

I am trying to upgrade from 5.5 to 6.0. I am getting an error about a missing file right before the install of the SUBSYS tape: FILEINFO.INSTALL. SYS. What have I forgotten?

Doug Werth replies:
Did you restore the AUTOINST files from the PowerPatch tape prior to running? :RESTORE *T;A@.INSTALL,F@.INSTALL;DEV=1; SHOW will restore the FILEINFO file for you.

My HP e3000 has an internal CD-ROM drive. How can I read information off a CD in this drive?

Dennis Heidner replies:
You need a special program, CDCOPY/iX, if you wish to access the CD on an HP e3000. Visit the HP site: jazz.external.hp.com; look for “freeware” on the opening screen.
CDCOPY copies files from CD in ISO 9660 format to your HFS file system on disc. You can specify the entire file system on CD to be copied, or single files. If the original directory or file name on CD is not Posix-conforming, a warning will be displayed and the file will be renamed to ‘CDCOPY_iX_#’ where # is a number. Supported file systems on CD are DOS and HP-UX with ISO file flags 0, 2,16 and 18.

I’m trying to copy files from account1 to account2 but get the following error message: USER LACKS CREATE DIRECTORY ENTRIES (CD) ACCESS TO PARENT DIRECTORY. Why?

Dennis Heidner replies:
SM (or a privileged program) is required to copy files across account boundaries.

Costas Anastassiades noted:
If you have network services and access to both account1 and account2 then use the following commands:
DSCOPY file.group.account TO file.group.account2,hostname#[user/password.account]
This does not require SM capability.

Is there a command or a feature in FTP that reports periodic progress of a PUT or GET command?

Keven Miller, Joe Taylor, Greg Stigers, Rich Trapp and Chris Goodley reply:
The closest thing to a progress indicator is the HASH command. It displays a hash mark # for each 1024 bytes transferred. Unless you do the math up front, and figure out how many hashes or 80-column lines of hashes a file is, its benefit is largely psychological: the appearance of something happening, with the corollary torment of wondering why it periodically slows or even stops.